Now that the NES Classic Edition console is out in the wild, folks are going gaga for the minuscule machine's perfect emulations of classic Nintendo games. They're so perfect, in fact, that their original cheat codes work exactly like you remember.
For 60 bucks, you can nab yourself an NES Classic Edition, a nearly pocket-sized version of the original Nintendo Entertainment System that comes pre-loaded with 30 games. You'll also get a controller that's nearly identical to the OG versions, with the added bonus that the console can play off of your television or laptop/PC.
There are a whole bunch of Nintendo classics ready to play on the console, complete with cheat codes and exploits that warp you around the games, give you more lives, offer infinite ammo, etc. Here's a rundown of five of our favorites.
Simon's Quest -- A full arsenal
The second game in the storied Castlevania series, Simon's Quest is known for being a tough game. That kind of went with the territory back in the day when game developers were still coming to terms with the fact that, when played at home, they didn't need a staggering difficulty to keep players pumping quarters into the machine. So if you find yourself having trouble in Simon's Quest, then you'll definitely want to try out this beauty that gives you access to every weapon and every item in the game. Just head on over to the password screen and enter the following: MLIT WVCW T3KU SFZC. That's all there is to it. Now get out there a prove to Dracula that man is far more than a miserable pile of secrets.
Metroid -- Samus without her armor
At the end of Metroid, players were originally blown away to discover that Samus is, in fact, a lady. Here they were thinking they were controlling a badass, alien-killing bounty hunter dude when, in fact, they were controlling a badass alien-killing bounty hunter dudette. If you'd like proof from the onset, all you have to do is enter a code when you boot up Metroid. Input the following: JUSTIN BAILEY ------ ------. Along with removing Samus' armor, you'll start the game with a whopping 225 missiles. That should help you give Mother Brain a run for her money.
Mega Man 2 -- All of the toys
The Blue Bomber is alive and well on Nintendo's pint-sized console, taking on the original roster of Robot Masters in Mega Man 2. The trick to the Mega Man series is that you will fare far better if you go into each fight with the appropriate counter weapon. Think paper-rock-scissors and you've got the idea. Unless you stumble upon the proper order to tackle these battles, though, you might be in for some difficult encounters. Thankfully, there's a code that will give you every weapon in the game, leaving you free to experiment until you figure out which tool is best for which job. Just enter the following: A-5, B-2, B-4, C-1, C-3, C-5, D-4, D-5, E-2. Along with all of those weapons, you'll also begin the game with a quartet of energy tanks, so no more excuses if you can't make it through to the end.
Final Fantasy -- A puzzling trick
This one isn't so much a cheat code as a nifty little added feature that many folks missed when they first played Final Fantasy way back in the day. Like so many tricks of the NES era, though, they missed it because it would be damn-near impossible to stumble upon by chance. Once you've gotten your airship and you've grown weary of your travels, you can actually play a sliding puzzle mini-game whenever you want. Solving the puzzle grants you a big fat nothing but, still, it's a decent distraction. Just board the airship and press both A and B a total of 55 times and you'll jump to the puzzle screen. Simple, right? We also encourage folks to dive into Final Fantasy just to see how far the series has come over the years, with the upcoming Final Fantasy XV changing things up just a little bit from the series' roots.
The Legend of Zelda -- A second quest
In the original Zelda, players were able to take on a second, altered version of the game after clearing the original. For those impatient gamers in the audience, though, we've got a little tip that will instantly transport you to this magical realm of harder enemies and trickier key/item placement. Once you start a new game in The Legend of Zelda, you'll be asked to name your hero. To jump straight into that more difficult adventure, all you have to do is make your name "ZELDA." If you're new to the game, you might not want to jump into this second quest headfirst. But, hey, we're not here to tell you how to live your life. You do you.
